


A Midwinter Night's Dream

by persephoneggsy



Series: YoI Fairy AU [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: ... sort of, Childhood Memories, Fairies, Fluff, I also love fairies can you tell, Love at First Sight, M/M, Magic, Mutual Pining, Partially inspired by that Midsummer's Night Dream official art that came out a while ago, Victor is a literal fairy prince, Yuuri is a blue fairy with ice powers, Yuuri is an ethereal beauty and I love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 00:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11817498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/persephoneggsy/pseuds/persephoneggsy
Summary: Victor Nikiforov, Prince of the Fae Realm, meets a young blue fairy and thinks nothing of it.But then the years pass, and he meets him again.





	A Midwinter Night's Dream

**Author's Note:**

> honestly i don't even know anymore

* * *

 

 

Victor holds a hand to his mouth, smothering the giggle that threatens to spill from his lips, as he hears the guards fly by overhead. He’s hidden from their view thanks to a well-placed willow tree and a bit of his own magic. He waits until their panicked shouts of his name fade away, and then he pokes his head out from the shade of the tree, grinning.

It was always so easy to evade the palace guards – which his father bemoans every time Victor manages to sneak away. His mother, ever the practical Queen, has their training programs redone to make them more vigilant, but all this really does is make Victor even better at running away.

He hums to himself as his wings carry him up, delivering him safely to the branches of a nearby tree. He walks along it, still humming, and views the terrain below.

He’d gone in a different direction than usual. He’s to the north of the palace now, where most of the blue and white fairies live. The air is a little colder here, not that Victor minds. Winter has always been his favorite season.

Below him, small villages dot the earth, tiny clusters of houses and communities. He can see a multitude of other fairies flitting to and fro, going about their daily lives while he stands above, an unseen observer. He thinks about going down there, but the thought is quickly dismissed. He stands out enough. If not for his long, silvery hair, then for the shimmering gold wings on his back – a hallmark of the royal family. If they see his wings, they’ll know who he is.

And the Prince of the Realm does not feel like going back to the palace just yet.

So he stays in the trees, watching his people with a small smile on his face. Merchants peddle their wares, adults tend to the fields and animals, and children who have not yet reached maturity play their innocent little games. Victor loves and envies them all in equal measure.

After half an hour or so, Victor stretches his arms above his head and yawns. Maybe he should be getting back, he thinks, which of course is when he spots something terribly exciting in the distance: a lake. With a grin, Victor’s wings begin to flap, and soon, he is flying off towards it.

He touches down near the shore and frowns. It had looked odd from a distance, and now that he’s up close, he knows why. It’s partially frozen, despite it being only mid-September. Victor glances around, expecting to see a group of blue fairies causing trouble, but instead, the sight he does find surprises him.

There’s only a child here. Indeed, his wings are blue, as are his clothes, but he’s alone. He’s got choppy black hair and an adorably round face, and he stares at the water with pursed lips and narrowed eyes; the very picture of concentration. Victor notes that his arms are held towards the water, palms facing out. If he looks harder, he can see telltale swirls of blue magic dancing on the boy’s fingertips.

Victor cracks a grin. He moves to a take a step forward, but that’s when the boy looks up and sees him.

Abruptly, the boy yelps, shoving his arms back to his sides. Unfortunately, the sudden movement causes a burst of magic to erupt from his hands, and to Victor’s astonishment, there’s now a long path of thick ice slicing the lake into two halves.

He takes a moment to admire the boy’s considerable (if unrefined) skill, and then he looks back at him. The boy is staring, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. He looks a bit scared.

Victor offers him his best smile and takes a step. “That was very good!”

The boy, to Victor’s dismay, shrinks back when Victor starts to approach. So he stops, holding out his hands in a surrendering gesture. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he promises, but the boy still looks wary.

“… W-Where did you come from?” he asks, voice small.

“Well…” Victor pauses. Should he lie to a child? “I came from the palace.”

The boy glances behind Victor, presumably now taking notice of his golden wings. His eyes, if possible, get even rounder. “Y-You’re the Prince!”

“Yes,” Victor nods, smiling placidly. “Hello.”

“W-W-What are you doing here?” the boy keeps walking backwards, until his legs meet the stump of a tree and he falls over with a shout.

Victor is by his side in an instant, brows drawn with worry. He helps the boy into a sitting position. The boy rubs his bottom, which must be bruised, and he pouts, eyes tearing up. Victor still can’t help but find it adorable.

“Are you alright?” he asks.

“I…” the boy doesn’t meet his eyes. “I’m okay.”

Victor doesn’t quite believe him, but he supposes he can’t force him to tell him the truth. Instead he asks another question, this time glancing around the area. It’s just them and the partially frozen lake; not even an animal is in sight.

“Are you alone out here? Where are your parents?”

The boy ducks his head. “They’re working. I snuck away to practice…”

“By yourself?” Victor frowns. 

The boy curls up even more, and Victor curses himself. “I-I wanted to surprise them. The Winter Solstice is coming, and they said I could join Minako if I practiced hard enough…”

Still frowning, Victor hums. He doesn’t know who Minako is. Maybe a girl the boy has a crush on?

“Still, practicing magic without someone to watch you is dangerous,” he says. He almost feels like his father, who often scolded him for the same reason. “You could’ve hurt an animal, or even worse, yourself.”

It’s at that the boy’s head snaps up.

“I was being careful!” he protests. “I made sure there were no animals in the lake or nearby!”

Victor is slightly taken aback by the boy’s defense. “Well… that’s good, but what if you hurt yourself?”

The boy deflates. Pouting, his gaze returns to his lap.

“…” 

Victor bites back a groan. “… Um, I’m Victor,” he decides to say.

The boy gives him an odd look. “I know who you are.”

“It’s only polite to introduce yourself properly,” says Victor. “What’s your name?”

“…” The boy’s wings flutter nervously. “I’m Yuuri.”

“Yuuri,” Victor repeats, missing the way the boy’s cheeks go aflame. “That’s a nice name.”

“T-Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Oh, please,” Victor waves his hand. “None of that. I don’t like all those formal trappings. Just call me Victor.”

This time, he does notice the boy’s blush. It covers most of his face, but his ears and the tip of his nose are the reddest. “O-Okay… V-Victor.”

Victor beams at the child. He stands, offering a hand to Yuuri, who takes it after only a moment’s hesitation. He pulls the younger fairy to his feet and helps dust him off. 

“Do you live close by?” he asks. “I should take you home.”

At once, Yuuri is flustered. He waves his arms around, shaking his head.

“Oh, no! Y-You don’t have to, Your – V-Victor, I can walk there by myself.”

Victor huffs. “How do I know you won’t just come right back here to keep practicing alone?”

Yuuri’s embarrassed silence is answer enough. Victor sighs, holding out his hand again.

“Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“You don’t have to,” Yuuri mumbles, half-heartedly. His face is still red, Victor notes.

“What sort of prince would I be if I didn’t look after my citizens, hm? Even the young and stubborn ones,” he adds, winking for good measure.

Yuuri flushes darker, but to Victor’s satisfaction, he slides his hand into Victor’s own. The boy starts leading Victor through the woods that surrounded the lake, and soon, they happen upon a small village. There are fairies ambling around, but many of them stop to stare, gob-smacked at the sight of Victor’s golden wings. Victor doesn’t mind the attention so much, but Yuuri certainly does. He ducks his head as if that will make them stop looking, and when that doesn’t work, he tugs more insistently at Victor’s hand, hurrying their pace through the village.

Victor is smiling all the while, bemused with this adorable little fellow he’s managed to become acquainted with.

Finally, Yuuri leads him to a large building. It doesn’t look like any of the other houses – in fact, the sign proclaims that it’s an inn. 

“You live here?” he asks. 

Yuuri nods, letting go of Victor’s hand, though he seems reluctant to do so. It’s as soon as he does that the door to the inn slides open, and a plump, older fairy appears. Her wings are small and light green, and she looks exactly like Yuuri.

Her eyes widen in surprise, but it’s Yuuri that she’s looking at.

“Yuu-chan! Thank the Mother!” she exclaims, rushing forwards to envelope him in a hug. Yuuri returns it easily, melting into her embrace; it doesn’t take much more than that for Victor to assume that she’s his mother. The woman pulls back, holding Yuuri’s face between her hands, looking stern. “Where have you been? We sent Mari out to look for you hours ago!”

To his credit, Yuuri looks abashed. “I was practicing my magic by the lake… You know, for the Winter Solstice…”

His mother’s face softens. “Oh, Yuu-chan. You’re only supposed to practice with Minako, remember?”

“I wanted to surprise her…”

“Still, you’re too young to practice your magic alone. What if you’d hurt yourself?”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Yuuri murmurs miserably.

“Hm? Who else said that, Yuu-chan?”

“Prince Victor…”

The woman frowns, finally noticing that there’s a taller presence behind her son. She meets Victor’s eyes and promptly gasps. Victor waves innocently.

“Hello!” he chirps.

“Y-Your Highness!” she scrambles back to her feet, hastily bowing in respect. “F-Forgive me, I didn’t see you…”

“It’s alright,” laughs Victor. “I assume you’re Yuuri’s mother?”

“I-I am. Hiroko Katsuki, Your Highness.”

“He doesn’t like being called ‘Your Highness,’” pipes in Yuuri. Hiroko gives him an incredulous look before snapping her attention back to Victor, who speaks.

“Well, Hiroko, I have to say, your Yuuri is quite talented!” he beams. “A bit unrefined, yes, but he has a lot of power. You must be proud.”

Hiroko flushes. “I am, Your Highness. I just wish he would slow down a little.”

Yuuri pouts. “Minako said she could dance ice onto the water when she was my age! I’m too slow!”

Hiroko shakes her head, clearly exasperated. “Yuu-chan…”

“Who is this Minako I keep hearing about?” wonders Victor.

“Oh, she’s an old friend of mine, Your Highness,” answers Hiroko. “She and Yuuri are both blue fairies, so she’s been teaching him how to control his powers. He wants to cast magic just like she does.”

“Minako dances and makes it snow!” shouts Yuuri excitedly. “It’s super pretty!”

“Ah,” Victor says. “That does sound amazing. But, it also sounds like a lot of hard work.”

“I can do it!” huffs the little fairy.

Hiroko and Victor, despite having just met, share a knowing smile. 

“I’m sure you can,” coos Victor, who crouches to Yuuri’s eye level. “But you can’t rush these things. I should know; I got into a lot of trouble for not being careful with my own magic.”

“Y-You did?” asks Yuuri.

Victor nods, expression deadly serious. “Once, I accidentally gave myself fawn legs.”

Yuuri blinks. Then, a wobbly smile crosses his lips, and soon after that, he’s giggling. Victor gives a pretend groan of annoyance.

“Ah, you sound just like my mother! She couldn’t stop laughing, either. I couldn’t leave my room for an entire week! My father went so far as to pretend he didn’t even know me!”

A soft chuckling from above them lets Victor know that Hiroko is laughing, too. He lets the annoyance drop easily from his face, and he meets Yuuri’s delightful smile with one of his own. He holds up a finger.

“Don’t be like me, Yuuri,” he warns. “You’ll be good and responsible with your magic, right?”

Yuuri’s expression dies down to a shy, almost fond little grin. He nods. “I-I will.”

He holds out his pinky. “Promise?”

Yuuri nibbles on his bottom lip before sticking out his own hand, entwining his pinky with Victor’s. “I promise, Victor.”

Victor grins, and is about to say something more, when he hears a shout from behind them.

“Your Highness!”

The Prince internally groans. That’s definitely one of the guards. He turns his head very reluctantly and sees three fairies in the guards’ uniform. They’re hurrying towards the inn, looking relieved to have found him. Victor sighs and stands up; well, it was fun while it lasted.

He glances back at Yuuri and Hiroko – the child has taken to clutching at his mother’s skirt, apprehensive at the sight of the guards. He catches Victor’s gaze and the older fairy sends him a reassuring smile. Yuuri’s grip seems to loosen.

“Your Highness,” one of the guards says, “your parents have been worried! They demand that you return to the palace at once.”

Victor gives them all bored looks. “Yes, yes, I’m coming.” He nods to Hiroko and Yuuri; the former bows respectfully, while the latter looks upset that he’s leaving.

“Maybe I’ll see you dance one day, Yuuri,” he says, watching affectionately as the boy’s face turns red again.

Yuuri buries his face into his mother’s skirt, and she laughs. Victor waves goodbye to them both, and then lets the guards lead him back to the palace.

He gets a proper scolding from both his parents later that night, but it’s hard for Victor to feel particularly chagrined. He thinks of Yuuri, the determined little blue fairy, and falls asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

* * *

* * *

**Several years later...**

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

The palace is always a bustle of activity, but lately it’s been even more so.

Victor knows why, of course. The Annual Winter Solstice is approaching, and the palace always throws a grand celebration to honor the occasion. Usually, Victor loves this time of year. The Winter Solstice, to him, is the prettiest of the Season Solstices, and he happens to have been born during it. So the celebration has always doubled as a birthday party for the Prince Regent.

But, this year, things are a bit… difficult.

“Your father and I are merely concerned for your future, Vitya,” scolds Victor’s mother, Lilia. She’s a tall, intimidating fairy, whose gold wings are nearly identical to Victor’s own. “It’s time you settle down and let the Mother bless you with a child.”

“Let Her bless you with a grandchild, you mean,” Victor says easily, not even looking at his mother as he helps a servant lay a bouquet of blue roses on a dining table. 

Lilia sniffs disdainfully. “You can’t keep pushing this off. You’re going to be King one day, Vitya, and you’ll need someone to lean on when that day comes. A Queen, or a King’s Consort. And you need an heir.”

“I know, mother,” he says, turning around to face her. The servants hurry around them, pretending to not notice the royal dispute happening in front of their eyes. “You keep reminding me. And I keep telling you, I’ll marry when I find the right person. And when I do, we’ll have a child when we’re ready.”

His mother huffs. “I’m not getting any younger, and neither is your father. That day had better be coming soon.”

Victor shrugs. “Who knows? The Mother works in mysterious ways. If you’ll excuse me?”

Rolling her eyes, Lilia waves him off. He smiles at her apologetically before flying off.

He sees the expanse of the palace and the surrounding village below him. Everything is decorated with blue roses and frost for the upcoming Solstice. It’s a beautiful view, and one that Victor normally makes sure to savor, but right now, he just wants to get away.

He goes beyond the village to the forests surrounding it. He’s not too far from the palace, in case anyone needs to call on him. Victor gives himself a self-deprecating smirk; in his youth, he’d go as far as he could manage. Age has taught him responsibility. And, speaking of which…

Victor sighs, touching down on the soft, downy grass. He knows his parents have only the best intentions. And they’re right; if he’s going to be King, he needs to marry and produce an heir. Luckily, their kingdom is at peace, and there’s no pressure to marry for political advantage. That had been the sort of marriage his parents had, and while they managed to work things out and lovingly raise Victor, he knew that he wanted someone he loved from the start.

He began walking through the forest and weighing his options in his head. He wasn’t in love with anyone yet, but if he were to be forced to choose someone tomorrow, he did have people he trusted.

Georgi was his oldest companion, having practically been raised together at the palace. They’d certainly trust each other. But, Georgi was always off swooning after one lady or another; maybe he wasn’t the best choice.

Mila was nice, and pretty, but while Victor admired the daughter of the Captain of the Guard, he also knew of her affection for Lady Crispino. He couldn’t ask her to marry him and forsake her own heart.

A year ago, he would’ve easily picked Christophe. The foreign duke who had come to live in the palace was handsome and charming, and he and Victor got along right from the start. But, alas, the duke soon found a love of his own, and he’d been married just a few months prior to the Winter Solstice.

Victor frowns to himself, kicking a pebble away into a thick line of bushes. He’s happy for his friends, truly. They all have what he’s waiting for. He just wonders how much longer he’ll be waiting.

The path he walks along opens to a large clearing, and at the center of it is a lake. Victor pauses at the mouth of the clearing. He soon realizes that he’s not alone.

There’s a male fairy standing in the center of the lake, his wings allowing him to hover so that his toes barely touch the surface of the water. They’re a blue color, like two pieces of finely-carved ice, but they pale in comparison to their owner. He’s a lithe man, though despite his small size, his body is finely curved. Victor takes another step, hoping to see him better.

Soft black hair falls into his face, but his expression is serene, eyes closed. He seems to be concentrating, but on what, Victor can’t tell. Suddenly, the fairy raises his arms, holding them in an elegant circle above his head for a few moments before gracefully lowering them. And at the same time, his wings stop fluttering. He falls towards the water, and Victor steps forward again, about to shout, but the man does not plummet into the lake.

His feet are met with solid ice. A small circle of it spreads from where he touches the surface. Without wasting another moment, the blue fairy begins to dance. Every step he takes causes more of the lake to freeze; frost swirls around his feet and arms as he moves them, and to Victor, it looks like he’s a living snow cloud, pure and ethereal. Even without music, Victor follows his dance, almost like he can hear the music in his head.

He's breathtaking. 

Soon, the small lake is completely frozen over. And it’s just the lake; no ice or frost touches the grass surrounding it. Victor pauses to admire this blue fairy’s considerable self-control, though he’s soon drawn out of his thoughts as said fairy moves from his finishing pose.

He’s panting, but otherwise, he shows no sign of weariness. His eyes are open now, revealing to Victor a surprisingly warm shade of brown.

He can’t help himself – Victor bursts into applause.

“Wow! Amazing!”

The blue fairy, of course, startles, quickly catching sight of Victor. And when he does, Victor knows he must recognize him, for his jaw goes slack and his body rigid.

“V-Victor!” he shouts.

Victor would’ve been thrown off by how this stranger addresses him. But he’s both glad to not hear ‘Your Highness’ for the umpteenth time today, and, more importantly, he’s still far too distracted by the blue fairy’s beauty to mind much else.

“That was incredible!” Victor cheers, walking to the edge of the lake. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Wonderfully, the blue fairy’s cheeks color in with a rosy red. It completely clashes with his blue attire and his wings, but Victor still finds it gorgeous. He manages a shy bow.

“T-Thank you. I’ve, um, been practicing that for a while…”

Very carefully, Victor steps onto the ice, only to find it easy to tread. Part of the blue fairy’s magic, he assumes. He walks over to the blue fairy and beams at him.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you in the village before. What’s your name?”

He blinks. “… Y-Yuuri.”

“Oh! I have a cousin named Yuri,” Victor smiles. But to his surprise, Yuuri only deflates, looking visibly disappointed. Victor falters. “Is something wrong?”

“N-No,” Yuuri quickly shakes his head, a small smile coming to his lips. “I’m sorry. I should be working at the palace. Excuse me.”

His wings start to flutter, and before Victor can even think about it, his own hand shoots forward to curl around Yuuri’s wrist. They both look startled by the Prince Regent’s actions. 

“I –!” Victor struggles for something to say. “Uh… Y-You work at the palace?”

Yuuri is staring at him. “For the Winter Solstice,” he answers slowly. “I’m meant to make it snow in the garden.”

Victor, despite his mortification, feels giddy at the news that Yuuri will be close by. “You’re very talented with your magic. I’m sure you’ll make the garden beautiful.”

Yuuri’s smile this time is more genuine. It also makes Victor realize how pink his lips are. “Thank you, Victor. That’s very kind of you.”

Victor feels his own cheeks redden. By the Mother, how could one man be so lovely?

He clears his throat, embarrassed by his thoughts. “Will you… be at the celebration, later?”

“I am,” he answers, raising an eyebrow. “But, it might be hard to find me.” At Victor’s confused look, he clarifies, “I don’t stand out very much in a crowd.”

It’s Victor’s turn to blink. “I doubt that.”

Shyly, Yuuri averts his gaze. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I…” Victor flushes darker. “I was just…”

Yuuri tilts his head to the side, expression curious. And perhaps, to Victor’s mind, a bit hopeful. “Just…?”

He chooses his words very carefully.

“I wanted to know if you would, perhaps, share a dance… with me?”

Yuuri’s eyes widen. “A-Are… Are you being serious?”

“Of course I am,” Victor frowns. “Why would I ask if I wasn’t?”

“Y-You’re the Prince Regent.”

“And? You’ve been calling me by my first name all this time.”

Yuuri looks alarmed, as if he’s just realized that.

“I’m sorry, Your Highne –!”

“No, don’t be,” he interrupts smoothly. “I like it. I prefer it, actually.”

“…” Yuuri slowly relaxes, though he still looks wary. “You… really want to dance with me?”

Victor nods, determined. “I do.”

_ “Why?” _

“Do I need a reason to want to dance with a beautiful man?”

Yuuri looks astonished. “A what?” he squeaks.

Victor almost chuckles at the look on his face. Yuuri must not be complimented very often; what a travesty.

“Will you, Yuuri?”

“I-If…” Yuuri says softly. “If you really want to, then… yes.”

Victor lets out a breath. His resulting grin is so wide his cheeks are starting to hurt already.

“Wonderful! Then, I’ll see you later?”

Yuuri hesitates, then smiles. “If you can find me.”

“I’ll look all night, if I have to.”

Yuuri actually laughs at that; it’s like a songbird’s lilt, and Victor’s heart stutters in his chest. 

“I should be heading to the palace now,” he says, still grinning. “My sister is probably worried about me.”

“Ah, yes… I’ll, um… I-I’ll see you there.”

It’s quiet for a few moments, but oddly, Yuuri doesn’t move.

“Victor?”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to need my arm back.”

Victor frowns. What is he…? Then he glances down, and see that he’s still holding on firmly to Yuuri’s wrist. He recoils like he’s been burned, though it’s his face that feels hot.

“Sorry!” he exclaims.

Yuuri takes his arm back with a soft chuckle. “Thank you.”

He flutters his wings and takes off, though not without one last look tossed over his shoulder at the Prince Regent. Victor watches him leave, awestruck. A lovesick sigh escapes his lips.

Evidently, he didn’t have to wait much longer at all.

 

* * *

 

Victor’s brighter mood is immediately noticed by everyone once he returns to the palace. His parents give each other an odd glance, though it’s clear neither of them can make any sense of why their son is suddenly humming cheerfully when he was so dismissive a few hours ago.

Nor do they ask; if he’s not causing trouble, his father had grumbled, it was best to leave it alone.

When the Winter Solstice proper begins, it’s with all the aplomb and spectacle as usual. The palace courtyard and garden are filled with guests, both with common and noble blood, all enjoying the coming of winter with the festivities. 

Victor, now dressed in his full royal regalia – a pink and gold suit that compliment his wings nicely – gravitates towards the garden. Indeed, as he expects, everything is covered in a fluffy white layer of snow. The garden is beautiful no matter the season, but as Victor sees it now, knowing who was responsible, he thinks it’s the second loveliest sight he’s ever beheld.

He wanders through the garden, weaving through guests who all wish him a happy Solstice and happy birthday alike, trying to find a familiar head of raven hair among the crowd. Alas, he can’t spot Yuuri anywhere.

Victor frowns to himself. Maybe Yuuri was right about him being hard to find. Just as he ponders his next move, an arm wraps itself around his shoulders, nearly throwing him off-balance. He looks over and sees a blond fairy with shimmering purple wings, wearing a scandalous, form-fitting outfit that left little to the imagination.

“What’s the matter, birthday boy?” asks Christophe, with a grin. “You looked so excited earlier.”

Victor recovers from his surprise and clears his throat. “I’m looking for someone.”

Christophe’s grin widens. “Oh? Now when did our beloved Prince Regent go and fall in love?”

“I…” Victor hesitates. “I don’t know if I’d go so far as love just yet, but…” Thinking of Yuuri’s graceful form and his adorable smile, a smile of his own slides onto his face. Christophe watches, amused and curious.

“But definitely ‘intrigued,’” he finishes for him. “My, my. Who is this captivating stranger?”

“His name is Yuuri,” Victor says. “He’s a blue fairy. Apparently, he did all this,” he gestures to the garden around them. 

Christophe whistles in appreciation. “And his looks? Is he handsome?”

“He’s  _ gorgeous,”  _ sighs Victor. “You should’ve seen him, Chris. We were at a lake, and he danced ice onto it! It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen!”

Christophe blinks, though he doesn’t lose the amused smile on his face. “Sounds like quite a man.”

“I told him I’d try to find him tonight,” continues Victor, glancing around. “But so far, I’ve had no luck.”

“Well, let me help you. I’m interested in meeting this Yuuri now, too.”

So Victor gives him as descriptive an image of Yuuri as he can conjure with words – of course, adjectives like ‘wonderful’ and ‘lovely’ get tossed in there somewhat uselessly, but Christophe only smiles and nods, amused by his friend’s infatuation.

They both search through the party guests, but after a few minutes, there's still no luck. Victor feels dejected, until Christophe taps his shoulder and points out a pair of blue wings in the distance. 

Victor speeds off in that direction, barely giving Christophe another glance. He does, however, shoot his friend a thumbs-up as he shouts ‘good luck!’ after him. 

He gets closer to the blue wings, which, to his delight, are connected to a man with raven’s wing hair. 

“Yuuri!” he calls out, hoping he's correct. 

The blue fairy turns around - and yes, it is Yuuri. But Victor halts anyway, gawking in a rather un-princely manner, because Yuuri looks  _ different.  _

Not only is his hair pushed back and styled, but gone are his soft blue clothes from earlier. In their place is an elegant black robe that hugs his upper body, showing off his toned muscles. There's a large area cut out of the back to let his wings flutter freely, but it also draws attention to his bare, creamy skin. 

The robe flares as it reaches his waist, creating the illusion of a skirt. Interestingly, the inside of the fabric is dyed red, a color most blue fairies never wear. Yet it looks wonderful on Yuuri, seductive and mysterious. Silvery ice crystals decorate the front of the robe, glinting in the light. 

Victor stares. Yuuri smiles tentatively at him. 

“You found me,” he says. 

Victor still stares. He notices a young man standing next to Yuuri; he's dark-skinned with vibrant red wings, and he's grinning like he’s just won a game. 

“I, um… I don't usually dress like this,” murmurs Yuuri, who shuffles his feet nervously. “But, my friend insisted on dressing me up for the celebration… I know, it looks strange.”

“Not strange,” blurts Victor. “It's not strange at all. You look… breathtaking, Yuuri.”

Yuuri's cheeks go that lovely rosy color again. “T-Thank you.”

Victor has enough sense to hold out his arm. “Do you mind if I steal you away?”

Yuuri’s friend is the one who answers, ushering Yuuri forwards until he literally stumbles into Victor’s arms. 

“He doesn't mind,” says the friend, smirking. 

“Phichit!” groans Yuuri. 

All Phichit does is wink at the two of them; then he flounces off, disappearing into the crowd. Victor is wholly unconcerned with the red fairy’s lack of decorum, because Yuuri is in his arms. He's surprisingly warm for a blue fairy. And he smells nice. Intoxicating, even. 

He helps Yuuri straighten himself out, though he is loathe to remove his hands from Yuuri’s waist. So he doesn't. Yuuri doesn't seem to mind it, or at least he hasn't said anything about it yet. 

“Um.” Yuuri peers up at Victor. By the Mother, his eyelashes are long. “Are we going to…. dance now…?” 

Victor finally snaps out of his daze. “We… we could. Or perhaps, if you'd like, we could talk for a bit, first?”

Yuuri bites at his bottom lip. Victor is hit with both a surge of longing and, oddly, nostalgia. Something about the gesture feels familiar… But before he can think on it too long, Yuuri is nodding. 

“I'd like that,” he says. Sliding his arm into Victor’s, he gives the Prince Regent a coy smile. 

Heart thumping, Victor smiles back. 

True to his word, they don't start dancing right away. They walk throughout the garden instead, staying close to each other. Honestly, Victor almost forgets that they're at a party; he's too focused on Yuuri’s voice, the way he laughs. The warmth of his body pressed against Victor’s own. 

He knows that on some level, he's being utterly pathetic. If his cousin Yuri could see him now, he'd call him a lovesick moron and the probably kick him in the stomach - a violent one, that child. But even then, he wouldn't care. 

He learns that Yuuri is from a northern village called Hasetsu, but he recently moved to the palace village and lives with a few friends. He learns that his parents run an inn, and that his sister had been the one to secure Yuuri a job at the palace for the Winter Solstice. 

“Remind me to thank her,” grins Victor. 

They've since moved to a more secluded area of the garden; there aren't as many guests wandering about here. He and Yuuri sit on a bench that is suspiciously untouched by the snowfall. Yuuri's small, proud smile tells him that was on purpose. 

Victor's hands move to grasp Yuuri's. The blue fairy, for the first time tonight, doesn't shy away or avert his gaze. He smiles serenely at the Prince Regent, looking as enamored as Victor himself feels. 

Victor swallows the lump that's formed in his throat. His heart thuds in his chest. His mouth opens…

Luckily, before he can say anything foolish, Yuuri speaks first. He gazes down at their joined hands, his thumb brushing over Victor's knuckles. 

“I used to dream about this,” he confesses. “I've always admired you, Victor.”

Victor blushes.  _ Wow.  _ “Yuuri…”

“We've, um,” Yuuri starts, now looking embarrassed. “We've actually met before, you know.”

Victor blinks. “We… have?” He's sure he would remember that. How could he ever forget meeting someone like Yuuri?

As if sensing his unspoken question, Yuuri shrugs. “I was just a child, of course, so it's not like you should’ve remembered me.”

“W-When was this?” asks Victor, dumbfounded. 

“You had longer hair, back then,” smiles Yuuri. “I was practicing my magic, alone, when you found me. You scared me, actually. I thought for a moment that I was going to be arrested.

“But all you did was warn me to be careful. Then you took me back to my mother, and I promised you that I'd be more responsible with my magic.”

Yuuri glances at Victor, finding the Prince Regent with his jaw dropped and eyes wide. 

“Did you really give yourself fawn legs for an entire week?”

He wants to bury his face in his hands, but regrettably, they're still in Yuuri’s grasp. So Victor only whimpers as the realization hits him full on. 

Truth be told, Victor's memory is terrible. Someone typically has to prompt him to remember something, and even then, it doesn't always work. But at Yuuri's words, he suddenly remembers it all; sneaking away, finding a round-faced and stubborn child, and indeed, bringing him back to his mother. 

But before, he could only barely remember what she had called him. 

“Yuu-chan…?” he breathes. 

Yuuri smiles sheepishly, though at the same time, he looks relieved. “I thought you didn't remember at all.”

“I… W-Wow. You've, um, grown.”

Victor curses himself for his lack of eloquence. Especially when Yuuri falters, pulling his hands away. 

“I'm sorry,” he murmurs. “I made this weird, didn't I?”

“No,” says Victor hurriedly, reaching out to retake the blue fairy’s hands. “No, you didn't, I'm just… surprised, that's all.”

Yuuri looks unconvinced, so Victor leans in, until their faces are centimeters apart. It's a little hard for Victor to reconcile the two different images of Yuuri he has in his head with each other. The cute, stubborn child and the impossibly gorgeous young man. Although, if he really thinks about it, Yuuri's eyes are the same - wide, expressive, and warm. He offers Yuuri a soft smile.

“If you think about it, us meeting again was fate, wasn’t it?”

Yuuri cautiously smiles back. “And it was at a lake. Again.”

“And you were practicing magic by yourself. Again.”

“I’m older!” protests Yuuri, leaning back. “I can handle myself.”

Victor laughs. “You can. I’d love to watch you dance again.”

Yuuri bites his lip again, trying to suppress a grin. “Maybe you will,” he says.

They sit in a companionable silence - or, silence isn’t the word for it. They’re not so far away from the party that they can’t hear the muted chattering of the guests, soft notes of music, the shuffling of feet crunching against the snow, and the faint fluttering of wings. But neither of them speak; instead, Yuuri boldly leans his head against Victor’s shoulder, and it takes the Prince Regent all of his self control to not melt into a puddle right then and there. But soon, he relaxes enough to lean his own head on top of Yuuri’s. 

Victor is so caught up in this, neither he nor Yuuri hear the approaching footsteps near them. It isn’t until a throat clears itself that they both startle into awareness… Only to see Victor’s father, the King, staring down at them, eyebrow cocked inquisitively.

“Vitya,” says King Yakov. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Victor slowly blinks. Yuuri feels tense at his side, and when he glances at him, the blue fairy looks intimidated. Frightened, even. Instinctively, he curls his arm around Yuuri’s waist.

“Well, here I am,” he replies, ignoring the way his father looks at his hand’s new position. “What did you need?”

“Nothing, specifically,” Yakov replies. “But some of our guests have been wondering where you’d gone off to. They said you were on the arm of a pretty young blue fairy.”

Yuuri stiffens, and so Victor gently presses down on his waist, as if to remind him that he’s here; everything is fine. Yakov, to his credit, nods politely to Yuuri, and offers him a kind smile.

“I don’t mean to frighten you, young man,” says the King. “I hope my son has been treating you well?”

“H-He has, Your Majesty,” squeaks Yuuri, bowing his head in deference.

“Good. Don’t be afraid to ring his head like a bell if he tries anything inappropriate.”

“Father,” Victor whines. Yuuri can only nod, stunned.

King Yakov ignores him. “Return to the party when you’re both ready,” he says, and with that, he bids them both farewell. Victor and Yuuri are left to stare after him as he leaves.

“... Wow,” murmurs Yuuri.

Victor grimaces. “I’m, uh… Sorry about him. My parents are…”

He struggles to think of the word. Pushy? Nosy? But Yuuri just shakes his head.

“It’s alright. My parents are the same way…”

Victor relaxes. “Do you want to go back to the party?” he asks. “We can stay here, if you’d prefer.”

“We should probably go back,” admits Yuuri. “I shouldn’t keep you all to myself.”

“What if I want you to keep me?”

Yuuri shoves at him, smiling. “Besides, we still haven’t danced.”

Victor realizes that he’s right. He stands, helping Yuuri to his feet as well, and then gives an exaggerated bow.

“My deepest apologies,” he says, in a mock-grave tone. He hears Yuuri giggle. “Allow me to rectify this grievous error.”

He holds out his arm, and though Yuuri rolls his eyes, he slips his own arm in easily, allowing Victor to lead him out of the secluded area.

“Oh,” Yuuri gasps softly, causing Victor to look at him as they walk. “I forgot to say earlier…” He smiles gently at the Prince Regent. “Happy birthday, Victor.”

Victor returns the gesture just as tenderly. “Thank you, Yuuri.”

They return to the more densely-populated part of the garden. And as soon as they do, it feels like every eye is on them. No one pauses to point them out and gawk, but it’s obvious that they’re attracting attention. Victor catches a few guests looking on in jealousy. But whether it’s of Yuuri or of Victor himself, he doesn’t know.

They reach an area designated for dancing. Without prompting, Yuuri turns to face him, resting one hand on Victor’s shoulder, as the other grasps the Prince Regent’s hand. Victor automatically finds himself winding an arm around Yuuri’s waist, pulling him close. 

And then, they begin to dance.

They waltz across the floor with an almost effortless grace. The half-skirt of Yuuri’s robe twirls around them as they dance, and their wings flutter and sway with the movements. Victor doesn’t even think about the steps. He is enraptured by Yuuri’s affectionate gaze, unable to remove his eyes from the soft curve of the blue fairy’s lips.

He wants to kiss him.

But for once in his life, Victor resists the temptation, and they keep dancing. 

Victor doesn’t know how long they’ve been dancing, but eventually, they stop. Only because the red fairy from before - Phichit, Victor remembers - taps Yuuri on the shoulder to get his attention. He at least looks apologetic as he does it.

“It’s getting late,” Phichit says. “We’re supposed to head home soon.”

Yuuri looks up to the sky, as does Victor. The moon is indeed high in the sky, indicating the hour. 

“Oh,” breathes Yuuri. “I didn’t even notice…” He looks back at Victor, also apologetically. “I-I need to go. We have to work tomorrow as well…”

Victor feels his heart sink, and it must show on his face, because Yuuri’s expression falls. 

“I understand,” Victor forces himself to say. “When… When can I see you again?”

“We live  _ very  _ close to the palace,” Phichit pipes in. “You can come and visit him whenever you want!”

Yuuri looks like he wants to scold his friend, but then Victor’s face  _ lights up.  _

“Really?” he asks ecstatically.

The blue fairy ducks his head. “I-If you’re not too busy…”

“I’ll make time,” he promises, giddy as Yuuri blushes darker. He lifts Yuuri’s hand to his lips and kisses it, much to the blue fairy’s embarrassment (and Phichit’s apparent delight). “I can’t wait, Yuuri.”

“N-Neither can I,” he murmurs in response. He’s gazing at Victor like he’s the only thing he’s ever wanted, and Victor absolutely does not want to let him go. But regretfully, he lets Yuuri step back. 

“Then… Goodnight, Yuuri,” he bids.

“Goodnight, Victor,” Yuuri says softly. 

They share a look for a few moment before Phichit starts tugging Yuuri away. Even then, the blue fairy doesn’t stop looking back at Victor until he disappears into the crowd. Victor sighs happily.

He’s already planning on when he can see Yuuri again, when a presence sidles up next to him. In his periphery, he can see his mother.

“That was the one your father told me about?” she asks, expression neutral.

“... I don’t know what he told you,” Victor starts, “but his name is Yuuri.”

Lilia huffs out a chuckle, to Victor’s surprise; his mother rarely ever chuckles.

“He is quite lovely,” she says, as though agreeing with a statement Victor hasn’t made yet. He figures his father must’ve gushed about Yuuri to some extent, but that thought is equally disturbing; his father doesn’t  _ gush.  _

Still, he gives another content sigh. “Isn’t he?”

“The Mother will bless you both with beautiful children.”

A beat passes - then, Victor turns a dark red, turning on his mother with wide eyes.

“Wh - !”

She cuts him off with a hand on his shoulder. “I’m teasing you, Vitya. It’s too early to say, is it not?”

Victor slowly deflates. He glances towards the direction Yuuri and his friend left in, and feels warmth blossom in his chest.

It might be too soon to say, certainly. But Victor is excited anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

**To be continued...**

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes on this fairy world:  
> \- The Mother is basically Mother Nature, who I imagine is like the fairies' main goddess.  
> \- Fairies are born from flowers. The Mother decides to bless a couple with a child if they so wish, even if both parents are the same gender. So no mpreg, but if Victuuri has a kid in this AU, it'll be a combination of both their genes  
> \- Victor was born from a blue rose don't look at me  
> \- Also I know the Winter Solstice isn't on the same day as Victor's birthday, but they're so close together the kingdom just celebrates them both at the same time anyway. So.
> 
> I wanted to make them kiss so bad. Like I love that Love At First Sight shit so goddamn much but even I felt like a kiss would've been pushing it for their first real meeting. So I might do more stories set in this world about their courtship. And then they can earn their damned kiss.


End file.
